Leaning into Niki’s warmth, I rubbed my face against his shoulder. “You like meinsufferable.” Niki’s answering grunt wasn’t the denial he probably thought it was.
Niki’s silence was tempered by the constant roar of the ocean. Seconds ticked into minutes before Niki finally said, “You left. I wasn’t certain you’d return.”
“I got bored.”
“I suspicion that is a constant danger with you.”
“You suspicion correctly.” I considered what I’d heard in Danzig’s office. “This time, you should be grateful for my boredom.” At Niki’s raised eyebrows, I proceeded to regale him with my little adventure, even temporarily transforming into the female form I’d taken while filling out that invasive form. “Really, Niki. The questions on that form are…” My mouth screwed up as if I’d tasted something sour. “It’s archaic. Demeaning too. I can’t believe Lydia went through with such a thing.” I could better see her throwing the questionnaire in someone’s face.
“Lydia didn’t fill it out. She… Erasmus’s mother and I met under different circumstances.” Niki didn’t sound entirely comfortable discussing how he’d met his son’s mother. I had no desire to hear the details and obligingly moved on.
“Danzig has boring taste.” I dramatically yawned for emphasis. “Is it really that difficult to evolve with the times?”
Niki’s lip twitched as he fought a smile. “For some.”
“His taste in decor is as outdated as his opinion regarding just about everything else, including humans and necromancers.”
Niki’s body tensed. “What did you hear?”
I spent the next few moments relating the conversation I’d overheard. Each passing second increased the ozone popping around me. Niki’s fingers flexed, the magic surrounding him eager to do his bidding. It was so unlike how Danzig’s magic reacted.
Ominous quiet descended. Even the sound of the ocean and wind hushed in deference to Niki’s fury. It was a glorious thing to behold. Niki’s mastery was awe inducing and made my blood rush further south, thickening my cock.
There was a fine line between aphrodisiac and terror when it came to power. As far as Nikodemus Holland was concerned, allthat power dancing at his fingertips caused an embarrassing wet spot in my pants.
Nine
Nikodemus
I would destroy him.Every fiber, every magical spark, and every single atom in my body demanded Warlock Stefan Danzig’s utter destruction. The consequences were unimportant at this point. Danzig had threatened my son, he’d?—
“Erasmus is safe. Did you hear me?”
My eyes focused on that voice, drawing me back to the here and now, thoughts of annihilation momentarily put on hold. Slowly blinking brought Hikaru’s face back into view. I had no idea when, but at some point, he’d cupped my face, his hands soft against my roughened cheeks. Wrapped in his tails, I was cocooned in warmth.
Hikaru’s golden-green eyes tracked back and forth, as if he were looking into my soul, searching for something. His easing features and softening gaze made me think he’d found it. “There you are,” Hikaru’s words were whisper soft. “Make no mistake, it’s hot when you go all, ‘grrr’ protective mode, but you were getting a little too caught up in your rage. I was starting to worry you’d do something foolish.” Hikaru’s head tilted to the side. “Just to be clear, doing foolish things is my territory, not yours.”With a wink, his hands slid from my face, his fingers softly tracing along my jaw before pulling away completely.
Words were stuck somewhere between my brain and my lips. All I could do was stare. I couldn’t decide if my racing heart was due to fear for Erasmus or from Hikaru’s proximity. I suspicioned one had started its hammering and the other sustained it.
“It’s okay.” Hikaru patted my cheek before pulling away. I would never admit how much I missed the warmth of his tails. “I get it. Sort of.” Hikaru’s eyes narrowed in either thought or confusion. “Seriously though, I think, for now, your son is safe.”
For now. I should have found those words more comforting than I did. Erasmus seemed to leap between moments of safe reflection and imminent death. It was a roller coaster I was desperate to get off.
Stepping further away, Hikaru’s tails flicked with agitation. “Right now, I’m more concerned about what Danzig’s plans are for you.” Fingers pressed against his chin, Hikaru’s face lowered, his gaze focused on the ground near his feet. “I didn’t like the smarmy look on his face.”
“Smarmy?” I don’t know why, but the word struck me as funny.
Hikaru waved me off. “It’s a good word and if the expression fits…” Hikaru shrugged his shoulders.
Maybe I found it funny because I’d always found Danzig a little smarmy myself. Regardless of Hikaru’s concern, I would much rather Danzig’s focus was on me than my son. “I can handle Danzig,” I confidently stated.
Hikaru cocked an eyebrow. “You think so?”
“I know so.” I extended my fingers, allowing the magic to dance along them. “I’m a much more capable warlock than him. Danzig knows this.”
My words were meant to inspire confidence. Instead, Hikaru shook his head, rolling his eyes as if I were an idiot. “Of course you’re more powerful than that asshat.” Hikaru stepped closer, eyes intense. “And just as you said, Danzig is well aware of that fact. Even still, he had that smarmy, self-satisfied smirk on his face.” Shoving a finger into my chest, Hikaru huffed. “That’s the problem. He’s got something else planned, something that you’ll never think of because your brain doesn’t work like his.” Hikaru spun on his heel, walking closer toward the cliff’s edge. “It’s a story as old as time.” Tilting his head my way, sadness filled Hikaru’s eyes, darkening them and pulling out their green hues. “Being in the right doesn’t equal victory. Raw power doesn’t always win either. Sometimes, it’s the most cunning opponent that’s the true threat. Trust me, I’ve seen individuals like Danzig before. There’s no level low enough he won’t stoop to get what he wants. And that’s the problem. Those lower levels aren’t something you can foresee because your mind doesn’t sink that deep.”
Hikaru could have been speaking of his experience with Tenzen Huxley. Given how old the kitsune was and my utter lack of knowledge regarding that life, there could have been countless others he alluded to. Part of me wanted to inquire. It was alarming how much that part of me had grown since first meeting Hikaru. I was rarely this curious about others. There was just something about him…something that had latched on to my soul and held on with unusual tenacity.
